" Perry Rhodan 0049 - (41) The Earth Dies" - читать интересную книгу автора (Perry Rhodan)

"The hyperjump went off okay, sir. ThereтАЩve been no radio receptions since thenтАФat least none that
pertain to us.

"I want you to send a hyperspace message to Deringhouse in the direction of Betelgeuse. Code it
according to system HB-33. Positronic. Maj. Deringhouse is to give us his position and stand by for
reporting. The Chief wants to talk to him personally. Let me know as soon as you have the connection."

"Very well, sir, it shall be done!"

Bell looked on for a few moments while the chief duty officer of Communications activated his
hyperspace transmission equipment and put the dispatch into the scrambler, removed the coded tape and
connected it to the transmitter. The call would continue to repeat until an answer was received on the
same frequency. It could go on for hours, or perhaps only minutes.

"WeтАЩre running the search call," Bell told Rhodan as he sat down again in the First OfficerтАЩs seat. "I hope
we donтАЩt get tracked down by any Springers."

"We wonтАЩt," smiled Rhodan. "ItтАЩs true that under certain circumstances hyperspace transmissions can be
traced out as to their direction but not their distance. So they could do a lot of fancy long-range
triangulations before theyтАЩd find us. That make you feel better, Reg?"

His thickset companion grumbled something unintelligible and then devoted himself resignedly to a
contemplation of the universe, as though he had never seen a star in all his life.

In his time, however, he had seen more stars than most have seen pretty girlsтАж



****



The heavy cruiserCenturion , a spherical vessel with a 600-foot diameter, hovered with no apparent
motion in space and waited. Close by, about one mile distant floated the sister shipTerra , whose
commander was Maj. McClears.

On board theCenturion were 10 mutants in addition to the telepath John MarshallтАФnot to mention
Pucky the mouse-beaver. PuckyтАЩs temporary separation from his bosom pal, Bell, was in a way an
improvement: At least he was not adding any new colourful language to his vocabulary and had to
content himself with what he had already picked upтАФwhich was considerable.

Deringhouse had slept a few hours and had just returned to the Control Central in order to relieve his
second-in-command, Capt. Lamanche. "WhatтАЩs new, Captain?"

The Francoterranian shook his head. "Nothing, sir. Our distance from Betelgeuse is still 30 light-years.
The hypersensor has picked up a heavy rash of transitions in the vicinity of the system. The Topides are
evidently getting their promised reinforcements already."
Deringhouse nodded wearily. "Good, Lamanche. You can relieve me again in 5 hours."